“They were incredibly focused and driven by the need to help their mom,” Abare said, praising her children’s quick thinking.

Dr. Keimun Slaughter, treating Abare at the Williams Center for Plastic Surgery in Albany, aims to eventually prepare her scalp for a hair transplant. In the meantime, Abare uses a wig to cover her injuries.

“I wear my wig, and it feels like it’s still the same. But mentally, it’s a struggle,” she admitted tearfully.

To illustrate the danger, Inside Edition collaborated with auto safety expert Lauren Fix. They placed a wig on a mannequin under a car hood with the engine running, showing how quickly hair can become ensnared in a fan belt. The wig was immediately pulled in and tangled, just like Abare’s hair.

This incident underscores the dangers long hair poses not only with car engines but also with go-kart engines, farm machinery, and even amusement park rides.

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